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Propeller Folding Stool

propeller folding stoolIt’s often the detail of a design that really draws you in and this small propeller folding stool really has those details that make a difference.  Although on first glance it looks like any other regular folding stool the nuanced differences improve on the original no end.

Designed in the 1930’s by Kaare Klint, a Danish architect and furniture designer who became known as the father of modern Danish furniture design.

Kaare took the principle with design that important lessons could be learned by looking at other items (especially furniture), the type of items that had stood the test of time, items that may not be accredited to a famous designer, all the same items that worked and still worked.  Taking this view that certain items are timeless he developed a style of design that looked to explore existing items and develop them through modification.

military issue stool

Military issue stool

One of the items he worked with was a standard military issue folding stool with a fabric seat, a type of stool favoured by the British and other armies.  In his work with the original stool, he obviously understood that the stool was fit for purpose and was used widely, however he believed that it could be improved on to ensure it was more compact and better designed.

propeller folding stool_closed

Propeller folding stool closed

 

Understanding this he took a single cylinder of wood and cut a vertical helix along it’s length, this ensured an even twist through 180 degrees. Connecting these two halves with a single pivot around the centre with a dowel, the legs could be folded closed back into the original shape. With simple slots cut at one end of each upright to hold the seat rails, and the addition of the seat material the stool was complete.

Propeller folding stool joint

Propeller folding stool joint

The whole look, seems the same, but vastly different from the original, a simple and yet very ingenious piece of design.

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